Daily Junction Play
659watching now
The Rest Is Science 24 Jun 2026 35 here now

Will A 25-Year-Old Space Pen Still Write?

A pen designed to write in space sits unopened for 25 years. Does it still work?

In this episode of Field Notes, Michael Stevens finally opens a treasured souvenir from his time at Space Camp: a genu

For You

Because of what you watch

Comments (20)

Daily Junction discussion mixed with clearly attributed comments from the original video provider.

Join in — free. Comments on Daily Junction are for members, so real names stay rare and bots stay out.

One field. We email you a 6-digit code — no password needed. Your comment is kept while you do it.

Under 13? You’ll need a parent’s OK first — it takes them one click.

@
The bids for connection in this podcast, is unbelievably wholesome 😌
@
Doing scuba diving, I've experienced a complete loss of sense of direction. The first time that happened it was really scary. I had no idea what was up or down, and had to let out bubbles to see which way they took. My brain did NOT agree that the direction the bubbles went was "up", and I had to really work hard on accepting that it was up. After that first time, it's been a lot easier to manage when something like this happened. But that first time, I got a sense of what can happen to a fighter pilot or astronaut when our sense of balance disagrees with the instruments. It's a really rough situation, and extremely stressful.

I have a space pen I got when I was in the US the first time, in the 1980's. Then I didn't use it until the late 2010's. It had some gummy stuff at the tip, then it just worked as normal. I got a few more after that, as I'm a scuba diver. Using them with waterproof paper is practical on a boat. Never had any use for one underwater though. The B4 black grid space pen is my favourite, though it's very nice.

The pressurised cartridge is the same format as a Parker-type ballpoint refill. You can use them in any other pen, or just get normal Parker style refills
@
Guys, you're AWESOME! I was watching the part with first usage of the pen with open mouth
@
@RCCrosby From YouTube ↗ 30 Jun 2026 22
"Everlasting" (or inkless) metal pencils use a specially engineered metal alloy tip that oxidizes paper, leaving faint, graphite-like marks. They never require sharpening and can write for miles.
@
Loved your explanation of PROTACS! My lab has just started looking into degraders for childhood sarcomas, it’s truly an amazing advancement!
@
600k subs 🥳🥳🥳
Congratulations much deserved!
@
As a native Kansan who lives ~30 minutes away from Hutchinson, it's WILD to get the Cosmosphere name-drop in this episode. Like, on one level I've known for years that Michael is also from Kansas. But to know that we both have the same fondness for the Cosmosphere blows my friggin mind. HELLO FROM KANSAS!
@
It made me unreasonably happy to hear you mention that you went to space camp in a town that I lived in for several years. 😃
@
Love this series, it has the ONLY mid-video ads I don't skip
@
@mkh.42 From YouTube ↗ 30 Jun 2026 9
8:50
"I want you to do the honors.😊"
"Nooooo😮"

"Okay."
@
These two get along so well, love the chemistry
@
8:13 "If I look at the tip, it looks pretty gunky to be honest" - Vsauce Michael, 2026
@
They always seems to release these at the perfect time. Also holy hell they’re pumping out so many
@
"I don't wanna put anyone down"

"I DO"

God I love Hannah so much lol
@
@PedanticNo1 From YouTube ↗ 30 Jun 2026 419
The comments on this channel are always so much fun to read through- almost as good as the videos! You've both cultivated such a nice corner of YouTube, it's like a little garden of pleasant thoughts.
@
@chibixhana From YouTube ↗ 30 Jun 2026 303
no notifications just a spidey sense for u guys
@
XKCD did a version of the clap thing, but with everyone jumping.

He concluded that society would end because moving everyone back from the jump site would overwhelm local transportation and would take literal years, and food would run out. Also power is off and there is no water... because everyone is stuck at the jump site.
@
You should be charged with crimes against netizens for not showing us the very first scribblings from a 25 year old pen!
@
30:32
Michael: “I don’t want to put anyone down...”
Hannah: “I do, that’s RUBBISH”
😂😂😂
@
really teasing everyone waiting for the fountain pen episode with that title